Letters: Railway's starring Swiss role can offer Ireland some much-needed inspiration

Irish Independent

9 hours ago

What struck me most of all was the amazing engineering feats regarding transport ­infrastructure there.
The number of tunnels is unbelievable. You can drive from one valley to the next, not by going over the mountain but by going through it, and this is repeated time and again.
The railways are on another level, literally. We travelled on the Jungfraubahn, which tunnels its way through the mountains to the summit 3,454 metres above sea level. The station at the summit is actually in the mountain.
On another day we were driving and were informed by our GPS that a particular road was closed because of weather conditions.
No problem. We just drove to a railhead, drove the car on to a train, stayed in the car, travelled about 10km in a tunnel and drove off at the other end. Fantastic.
Alas, like all good things the holiday came to an end. Arriving at Dublin Airport we waited in the open in cool weather for a bus to crawl through the city to our ­destination.
We have a main line railway that is about 6km from Dublin Airport and a Luas line (Broombridge) about 7km from same. Bearing in mind the Swiss built the Jung­fraubahn over 100 years ago, is there any chance that our politicians could build the badly needed rail link?
I hold my breath in anticipation.
Brendan Langley, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Less talking and more action on Gaza, please
Madam — The Government needs to stop merely condemn­ing the genocide that is happening in Gaza and take decisive action.
Planes carrying arms to Israel should not be allowed to land in Ireland or fly through Irish airspace. Draconian sanctions involving a unilateral ban on the import of all Israeli products should be activated immediately, even if this means breaking ranks with a sleepwalking Europe.
War crimes are happening in plain sight on a daily basis and the Irish Government is greatly shamed by its passive approach to this ever deteriorating situation.
The Government is not listening to its people on this issue.
Colman Collins, Galway
Trump is helping to render Gaza a hell
Madam — Home is where the heart is, and throughout its history the United States of America has been a home from home for the Irish and many other nationalities. But now I think this sentimental idea about the US is changing.
Donald Trump and his government may extol the praises of the US through songs such as God bless America, my home sweet home, but that same government is, through its continuing support for the state of Israel, depriving the men, women and children of Gaza and the West Bank of their home sweet home — indeed, it is helping to make it a hell on earth.
This is a great disappointment to those of us who have admired the US in the past.
On his accession to office for the second time, the author of How to Get Rich and Think Big and Kick Ass: In business and life said Gaza could be the Riviera of the East, thus disclosing his mercenary way of thinking and his scant regard for the plight of others.
Trump has the power to stop the war, first by ending the supply of arms to the Israelis. But he will not do that.
Whither democracy when the great democratic institutions, the United Nations, the European Union, the international courts, have failed to impose their influence and authority on this interminable political catastrophe?
Palestine should be home to Palestinians. Instead, it is a no man's land. This is disgraceful.
Anthony McDonagh, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan
Why no coverage of Hamas terrorism?
Madam — This country now has an obsession with Gaza to the point of mania. We are being inundated with accounts and stories about the Gaza Strip.
Many of these are not balanced, garnishing legitimate criticism from the Israeli ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich.
Coverage and analysis of Hamas terrorist activity is hardly mentioned, which gives a highly unbalanced and biased view of what is going on.
It is important we have rout­ine objective coverage rather than campaigning journalism.
Maurice Fitzgerald, Shanbally, Co Cork
Chilling programme on nursing homes
Madam — As an 82-year-old man, I watched the RTÉ Investigates programme about nursing homes for the elderly with absolute horror.
Two words, 'nursing' (the most caring of professions) and 'home' (one's sanctuary and most sacred of places) put together to create a hell for ourselves, our spouses, parents and grandparents at the end of our days.
Nursing homes are staffed by sons, daughters and grandchildren of elderly people, yet some choose to ignore the consequences of their actions.
How can management not keep a constant supply of sani­tary products and bed sheets for elderly residents they are being paid handsomely to care for? It beggars belief.
John K Ryan, Tipperary
Madam — The Poor House, the Magdalene Laundries, the psychiatric institutions and now the nursing homes. It is a modern-day scandal. Is this what is facing the elderly, sick, frail and vulnerable people needing care and those strugg­ling to find compassionate care for them in 2025?
This is happening at a time of so-called oversight, supported by increased technology and corporate-speak.
Excellent journalists have highlighted this appalling scandal, clear for all to see, and it must be acted on. Shame on us for allowing this to happen.
Alice Leahy, Alice Leahy Trust, Dublin 8
Act has destroyed the rights of women
Madam — Ciara Witts (Lett­ers, June 1) complains that John Boyne doesn't explain what the problems are with the Gender Recognition Act 2015 (GRA). Allow me to explain.
By permitting a man to legally become a woman, the GRA destroyed the rights of women and girls to single-sex spaces (toilets and changing rooms), services (domestic violence refuges, rape crisis services) and sports (including contact sports). We're now in the position of having to fight to regain these hard-won rights.
It takes just one man to make these spaces, services and sports mixed-sex, and all he needs to do is fill out a form and pay €10.
Imagine a law that allowed white people to declare they are black or adults to declare they are children. There would rightly be uproar. Yet women are supposed to accept that any man can say he's a woman, or be called a bigot.
If that's not misogynistic, I don't know what is.
E Bolger, Dublin 9
Declan Lynch is now king of columnists
Madam — For quite some time before his departure, Gene Kerrigan was considered by many of us as the king of Sunday Independent columnists. But it's time now, I think, for a new monarch to be crowned, so step forward Declan Lynch.
Each week, he provides us with erudite and often witty musings on current affairs, both local and foreign; last week's column on Elon Musk was another example of his wonderful writing skills.
It must be acknowledged that Declan foresaw — and wrote about — the massive danger that Donald Trump would present to democracy, both in the United States and worldwide, long before other commentators. Long may he reign.
Jim Hickey, Mount Pleasant, Waterford
Irish people living in fear in US is so sad
Madam — The piece by Ali Bracken recently on how many Irish immigrants who have lived in America for decades are now living in fear of being deported was a sad and upsetting read.
Irish-American families are being torn apart and living in fear because of Donald Trump's cruel and inhumane policies in the 'land of the free'.
It is so sad to hear of Irish expats being treated like common criminals. These people go out to work every day and pay their taxes to the state, raise their families and contribute voluntarily to better the communities in which they live.
The Irish helped to build America by serving in its mili­tary and building railways, motorways and skyscrapers over many decades. This would never happen under presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Clinton, Bush or Biden, who knew the value of the Irish men and women who helped to build America to become the world leader it is today.
Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo
Put a bell on your bike to keep all safe
Madam — It is wonderful to see the new greenways along our rivers and canals. As more and more people are using them, a public awareness campaign to encourage cyclists and pedestrians to 'be sound' to each other is being considered by Dublin City Council. Possibly a 'be heard' campaign would be more appropriate.
The growth in cycling is great, but I would implore bi­cycle owners to have a bell fitted to their machines. A lot of bikes and scooters, some of which can cost thousands of euro, are very fast and silent and do not have a bell or a buzzer to warn people of their approach.
The road traffic regulations of 1963 clearly state that 'a bell which can be heard from a reasonable distance must be fitted to all bicycles'. So, cyclists, comply with the law and keep yourself and other people safe.
Brian Lube, Co Meath
Airbnbs did not cause Irish housing crisis
Madam — Eoin O'Malley's suggestion last Sunday that all Airbnbs should be taxed out of existence makes me worry for the hard-working hosts — the majority — who are only trying to keep a roof over their heads.
It isn't just that we want some return on investment, but also on our weekly labour as we provide comfortable, reason­ably priced short-term accommodation for foreign tourists, contract workers, our neighbours' relatives and Irish families on holiday.
We make use of available space in a flexible, sustainable way that benefits the local economy. Our annexes and cottages and remote holiday homes didn't cause the housing crisis, and we can't solve it.
Susan Devane, New Ross, Co Wexford
Eilis O'Hanlon is one brave journalist
Madam — In my view, Eilis O'Hanlon is the best and bravest female journalist in print media today.
In her insightful article last week she noted that Morning Ireland, Claire Byrne and Drive­time only briefly referred to the recent UK ruling that defined 'woman' under equality law as a biological female.
I was not surprised that this highly significant ruling was practically ignored by the news and current affairs programmes on RTÉ and in the print media.
The fact remains that a man with XY chromosomes can never change to be an XX chromosomal woman, and the UK Supreme Court was simply confirming this medical truth.
Dr Pat Mc Grath, Monkstown, Co Dublin
Joni Mitchell said it best — let's listen up
Madam — The death of one of Ireland's oldest breeding white-tailed eagles last week is another blow to efforts to save what is left of our disappearing biodiversity. Over the past five years, several white-tailed eagles have been poisoned or shot.
The reintroduction of this magnificent bird to Ireland was a cause for celebration, but the project appears to be floundering. The sad fact is that nature is held in contempt by a sizeable body of people on this island.
Since the gorse fire ban officially came into force in March, fires have raged through at least five counties. Pollution is rampant and habitats are being destroyed at such a rate that you'd think we wanted to be rid of them. Pesticides are used with abandon, killing precious honey bees already battling to survive the ravages of climate change and modern agriculture.
And then there's the abhorrent example set by the State, which yearly licenses the capture of thousands of our native hares for coursing. What kind of message does that send out to the public about the value we place on wildlife conservation?
During the Covid lockdown, many of us rediscovered the att­ractions of nature. We connected with a world that lay, largely unheeded, all around us. Some of us may need reminding that, in the words of the Joni Mitchell song, 'You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone'.
John Fitzgerald, Callan, Co Kilkenny
Here is a confession: I don't like Guinness
Madam — I was intrigued to read Leslie Ann Horgan's recent editor's letter in Life Magazine (June 1), in which she recounted having her first pint of Guinness at the age of 24 — her very first alcoholic drink.
As a 70-year-old Irishman, I thought I might offer a contrasting tale: I have never had a pint of Guinness.
At 16, working on a building site in Birmingham, I bought a bottle of Guinness with my first pay — which, incidentally, was more than my father was earning at the time back home in Northern Ireland.
I took a sip, found I didn't like the taste, and I've never touched it since.
A small, perhaps unremarkable fact, but in Ireland such abstinence from the national drink almost feels like a confession.
Enda Cullen, Tullysaran, Co Armagh
Give up demanding a capital M for mass
Madam — Mary Lally requests 'Again, please give us a capital M for mass' (Letters, June 1).
The reason lower case is used when writing 'mass' is that the original Latin word is 'missa' from 'mission' — sending out the faithful to be apostles. Mass is lower case, whereas Euchar­istic, meaning celebration, does have an upper case E.
Rules of grammar take precedence in the media. By no means is this, nor should it be taken, as demeaning in any way.
Declan Foley, Melbourne, Australia
Students are more than sum of results
Madam — Now that this year's Leaving Certificate exams have begun, may I offer some words of advice? These stud­ents have taken many lessons and now face tests. However, in life it is most often the other way around. The tests of life come first, followed, if we are lucky, by some lessons.
These tests — call them the slings and arrows of life — will reveal the individual character of each member of the class of 2025. Finally, they are all much more than the sum of their results. Good luck to them.